1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to horticultural products, methods and accessories.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of flowering and non-flowering plants may be purchased at a nursery for transplanting at various locations. These plants are typically grown in individual containers and sold as the plants are about to bloom.
Some communities have a beautification program where plants are transplanted into containers permanently located throughout the community. It is necessary to have a professional with considerable skill and experience to transplant individual plants in order to create aesthetically pleasing arrangements. Of course, sending a skilled professional to the transplant site adds greatly to the field cost. This cost can become prohibitive for ordinary homeowners that want to create attractive plantings forming arrangements in gardens or plant containers around their property.
In addition, since the plants are each grown in their own individual containers, the transplanting operation takes a significant amount of time. Typical displays are formed of numerous plants with individual holes being dug for each plant. An individual plant is then removed from a flat and placed in the associated hole. Soil is then placed in the hole to fill in the area between the plug of roots and the surrounding soil. This process is repeated for each plant, which in some cases, may require the transplanting operation to be repeated tens or hundreds of times depending on the desired size of the display.
When the plants need to be replaced, either because they are no longer in bloom or a change in season dictates replacement, each plant must be individually removed and replaced. This also requires a significant amount of time and labor by a skilled professional.